I am a self-described personal growth junkie. Actually that isn’t true. All the people close to me would also describe me in the same way so I guess I’m just a personal growth junkie.

So when my friend, Tara, introduced me to podcasts, it was like giving a shot of whiskey to an alcoholic…I was doomed!

These days I listen to roughly 4 hours a day of podcasts. Since I drive, bike, and run a lot that is very easy to do.

For those of you who haven’t drunk (drank? drinken?) the Kool-Aid yet, here’s a run-down of what a
podcast is…

A podcast is like a radio show on demand. And you have thousands to choose from with a wide range of topics and hosts. Most hosts are semi-famous or at least already have a following. The actual podcasts range from educational to entertaining, several minutes to several hours, and structured interviews to free flow conversation. There are even several podcasts on how to start your own podcast!!

The dictionary (the what? Don’t you mean Wikipedia?) describes a podcast as: a program (as of music or talk) made available in digital format for automatic download over the Internet.

Tara introduced me to an internet marketing podcast as an assignment from our Mastermind Group and as soon as I learned how easy it was to find, download, and listen, I started searching all my favorite topics…yep…you guessed them…food, fitness, finance, and fun!

It takes some time to find ones that fit you and what you are looking for. Several of my faves I found because they were interviewed by my other faves. Some I listened to a few episodes and realized it wasn’t for me, some I knew within 5 minutes it would change my life forever.

After 4 years and thousands of listening hours later, I want to share my list of my 5 favorites. These 5 podcasts have made me a better version of me than I was 4 years ago. They also make me completely want to start my own podcast…but that’s a topic for another day.

These are in order of when I started listening. I adore them all equally. And now that a few of these are daily and others weekly, I don’t think I will ever run out of episodes! Yay!

This was my very first podcast, the one that Tara told me about. I was looking to learn about internet marketing because I knew at some point my husband and I wanted to travel and live on the road so I needed more passive income coming in.

Each episode is about 30-55 mins and he usually interviews someone who is successful in some aspect of internet marketing. Pat is awesome!! He is super transparent and up front about his successes, failures, fears, accomplishments, and income earned as he has built his biz through the years. He even posts on his blog his month to date income each month.

I have “been” with Pat through the birth of his kids and a spin off blog he now does 5 days a week which is also one of my faves (so I will include it here so I don’t have to give up another spot) called “Ask Pat“. He answers a question every day of the week from one of his listeners to help them become better at blogging, marketing, and attracting customers in order to make more money with their online businesses. Thanks Pat!!

As soon as I got caught up on the few episodes I missed with Pat, I needed more. I was in a constant battle with myself over food and wanted to eat a 100% vegan diet, but strayed from it almost weekly. So I thought if I could find a good vegan podcast, it would keep me on track.

I searched “vegan” and the Rich Roll Podcast (RRP) came up. I knew of him from his book “Finding Ultra” which had a big influence on me just a few months earlier. I tuned into his latest episode at the time which was on addiction. I remember immediately texting my friend Wendy and telling her how excited I was about this podcast and knew it would be life changing. And I was right.

The RRP is typically over an hour…usually closer to two…which has gotten me through some pretty long workouts. He is typically interviewing someone, but is more of a free flowing conversation. His guests are anywhere from his super balanced and spiritual wife to the F-bomb slinging vegan punk-rock dude who wrote “Meat is for Pussies” to docs who are making waves in the medical field teaching their patients to eat a plant-based diet to professional athletes who are using their status to make the world a better place. He is now very consistent about getting a new episode up every Monday. Thanks Rich!!

I was still running out of episodes between Pat and Rich and kept listening to podcasts that didn’t really get me excited and pumped up to be a kick ass version of me. Every time either one of them has a guest who had his own podcast, I would give it a whirl. I finally hit the jackpot when Pat interviewed Lewis Howes. Not only did I connect with him and his story, but his podcast is called “The School of Greatness”. That sounds like a personal growth junkie’s wet dream if you ask me!

And luckily I had some back episodes to get caught up! Lewis’ episodes are approx an hour and he sometimes does the occasional episode alone, but typically interviews people who have done something great in their lives. A wide range of people from coaches to actors to entrepreneurs to athletes. He always ends by asking his guest “what is your definition of GREATNESS?” Lewis helped me define the title of my career path…Lifestyle Entrepreneur. Thanks Lewis!!

To be honest, I can’t remember how I found her. I want to say she was a guest on “The School of Greatness”, but I’m not sure! What I am sure of is that although she kills me with randomly posting episodes (I think I have had to wait months at a time for a new one) but she is someone I can totally see me being BFFs with. She talks and acts like I would if I had my own podcast and usually has her friends as her guests, all of whom I could see me hanging out with.

She usually talks about issues that most women our age face and celebrates our flaws and differences with a lot of giggling and the occasional F-bomb. Her episodes are typically 45 mins and come out very sporadically.

She is currently planning a cruise for women called “Tacos, Tanning, and Transformation” which is my dream voyage!! The old me would have already signed up to go!! But when you see my #5 podcast, you will understand why I’m not. Andrea gives me hope of being successful in my dream business. Thanks Andrea!!

Although my husband and I went through Dave’s Financial Peace University (FPU) like 6 years ago, it didn’t stick. Anytime we would pay something off we would buy something new. Like a house or a car or a trip. It doesn’t help that both our hobbies are extremely expensive. He’s a Harley Dude…I’m a Triathlon Geek.

After a year on the road living in our RV, we decided the only part we didn’t like was that we had to keep making money every single day because we still had debt we needed to pay off. So earlier this year, we decided to get serious and pay it off. I put in the old CD set I had from FPU and listened to all 20 or so hours in one road trip. Now what??

Well luckily, he has a podcast! Yahoo! A daily 40 minute condensed version of his daily 3 hour radio show. He answers financial questions from callers and gives sound money advice. Listening to him daily is really what is keeping me on track this time around. It’s a reminder that we CAN do it and a reminder why we want to. Dave also has another excellent podcast that is in my top (I’m combining these as well so I don’t have to kick another out of my top five) called The EntreLeadership Podcast.

The teachings and interviews are based on his philosophies from his book, EntreLeadership. And since Dave is a pretty big deal, he gets some seriously big time guests on his show! Thanks Dave!!

Final Thoughts

I think one of the things I love the most about my 5 faves is that, other than Dave, none of these guys had ever done radio or professional speaking before they started their podcasts. Since they have started, they all have been guests on many other podcasts and have had paid speaking and training gigs all over the world. I have seen first-hand how their speaking, interviewing, and even technical skills have improved since they started their podcasts. I have also seen them grow into leaders in their chosen fields and it makes me not only proud of them, but hopeful for myself.

I am always open to getting to know more amazing people! If you have podcasts that you love, please share here or in my facebook community at www.facebook.com/KirstenMcCaySmith